What should I be eating to lose my extra folds? I'm probably 20-25 pounds overweight, and I can't seem to loose them. I have a chronic motor neuron disorder, so it's hard for me to do cardio, I'm still ambulatory but I can't use an eliptical for long enough to be effective at burning calories. My pt said to use a recumbent stepper, but I can't find a gym that has one. Does anyone have info as to what the proper diet for someone who can't exercise efficiently? should I eat high amounts of protien and cut out sugars and most carbs aside from vegetables and whole grains?

The following user gives a hug of support to InTheVoid:ab22890 (05-01-2012)

I am not very familiar with your neuron disorder, but I can give you some suggestions on how to drop some weight through some eating changes. I was about 15-20 pounds overweight in high school; this was due mainly to my poor eating habits and lack of exercise. One of the best things for me, that started the weight loss, was cutting out as much *added* sugar as possible. This means granola bars that have more than 8g of sugar, cereals with more than 10g, and even tricky items like peanut butter. When you think added sugar, you must put fruit into a separate category. Fruit is always good, and apples are perfect for curving your appetite before meals.

I would recommend Fiber One products because they are low in sugar and high in fiber. Try to also incorporate healthy foods that are high in the good fats ( avocado, natural peanut butter, and beans). A healthy breakfast option for you may be Fiber one cereal or a piece of toast with all natural peanut butter (ingredients should say peanuts and salt, nothing else!)

Another option that you can try is to increase your snacking, but in a healthy way. Avoid eating three giant meals a day and waiting to eat when you are starving. Simply always eat a little bit so that when meal time comes, you're not ravenous for food, but will graze. The longer you keep your metabolism active, the more weight you will loose!

Thanks for the reply! I've been on these boards for a few months now, and haven't had many replies. I've been going through a lot lately and I'm having a hard time dealing with my situation.

Just to clarify, my mother and two of her siblings are affected with Neuromuscular conditions. My mother is 60 and can still walk around the house but she requires a wheelchair to make longer distances, she was diagnosed at 36 yrs old with Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Her brother had trouble using stairs when he was 8 yrs and required a wheelchair when he was 12 yrs, but he has never had the genetic testing, he is now a quadriplegic. Their sister was affected with an unknown form, but she passed in her twenties after a surgery before I was born. Both my uncle and aunt were affected before the genes for SMA were known, so we don't know definitively if they have/had SMA. There is great variability within the disorder as to age of onset and severity, so that gives me some optimism. Given that I was 24 (one year ago) when my weakness showed its ugly teeth gives me a decent prognosis, but nothing is certain.

As you said my eating habits in my youth were also poor at best. I recall for about two years I would eat Burger King's whopper with a poutine and a large coke every night at around 11pm, I almost can't fathom the amount of salt and sugar I was ingesting! Not to mention the $11 CND a meal!

Between high school and now I've been between 160lb and 180lb. Currently I'm 175lb but with my weakness, I suspect that some of my muscle has turned into fat. So I'd like to get my body fat index down as low as possible.

Eating smaller meals more often seems to be the way to go. I'll check out some health food stores, but I'm on a budget. I usually eat twice a day with two snacks, but I will try to eat less at a time more times a day. I'm a very picky eater, so it may take some time to make the complete change, but I'll work on it!

Not the healthiest advice, but I turned to bulimia.
In all honesty, I've found that following the calories in < calories out method to work, I just have to remember that I'm not exactly the most active person around, so consume less. If hungry, I aim for distraction or very very low cal foods like grapes.